trans_9 | Mad Scientist In The Making

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Mad Scientist In The Making

Nate had gotten his armor back from Stacy. The initial elation had slowly given way to a very businesslike examination of the suit's use however, following a troubleshooting session in the City. It seemed that Stacy had locked down the suit's time travel capabilities. So that meant he wouldn't be going anywhere, and he wouldn't be pulling weapons out of the time stream either. A few of the deadlier weapons in the suit itself had been disabled. But he'd be able to get those back up and running.

The thing that he had most wanted to know however, was whether the Vision programming was present. Running through his checklists and looking through the programming ands source codes of the armor's minimal AI system, he was soon satisfied that his suit wouldn't be walking around on it's own anytime soon. Good. One less headache for him. Something he was thankful for, what with the way his head had been pounding recently. That being said he didn't want to be walking around in that suit at the moment. At least, not while it was looking like that.

So it was that he ended up in the Special Weapons area, various tools littering the table next to the larger one that he'd laid the suit out on. First things first, he'd need to get rid of that helmet. He didn't want his face hidden, not anymore at least. So he worked for an hour or so at pulling the components from the helmet and incorporating them into the suit. Of course, for the HUD he'd need to find an alternate method. Perhaps he could rig up a retinal projector keyed to his DNA? Well, time enough for that later.

The sound of clinking and fiddling could be heard for a long time. His eyes began to grow tired as he kept working. How many hours had it been? Didn't matter, he had his suit. He needed to finish. Now that fusion cell connected to that power cable. And that ion regulator into that outlet. Yes it was going fine. Picking up another fusion cell, he grabbed his screwdriver and began to unscrew the cap. Hopefully the gel hadn't congealed after disuse, or else it might--

BOOM

The cell exploded in a great spray of coolant gel and metal parts. One sliver of metal ran a cut along his cheek, and he was glad he'd had the foresight to put goggles on, as others pinged off the protective eyewear. Setting down his screwdriver, he pulled the goggles off, a bemused expression crossing his face as he lifted a hand to wipe the gel off it. His hair stuck out at odd angles from the release of static the exploding fusion cell had caused, and he sighed, rubbing at his eyes.

Maybe that was enough for one night.

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"It would seem that each of our realities of Earth have taken a slightly different direction," Ghani observed with a slight shrug of her shoulders as she placed the screwdriver back down.

Turning to face him, she shook her head. "Though I would hardly think that is a surprise. Human language evolved on Earth into different languages, did it not? Why shouldn't it have continued to do so? The languages of Earth are generally referred to as the lost languages since only a few of us remem- still know them."

"Just wouldn't be any fun if we all turned out the same, I guess." He smirked, wiping his goggles on his plantsuit in a bid to clean them.

Well it was the arrogance of most people after all, to believe their ways would linger, or make some impact on the world long after they were gone. "That's true. I just never really thought about it. The evolution of technology, sure. But languages never crossed my mind." A pause. "Seriously? The Lost Languages? Wow..."

He waved a hand absently at the suit. "So this stuff must be like a relic to you, huh?"

She smiled. "The lost languages are of course a base for the languages we use now. So maybe they aren't as lost as people tend to believe."

She looked over at the suit and her eyebrows furrowed. "To be honst I have never seen such a thing so I'm not sure if it would be considered a relic. What is it exactly?"

"Well, in terms of evolution I suppose it stands to reason that some of the base components of the previous incarnation of the thing would remain. You see it in animals all the time, it would make sense in relation to other things as well."

Seeing her brows furrow, he picked up a gauntlet and slid it over his arm. The blaster in the middle of his palm immediately began to glow as the metal tightened around him, sensing his presence. "It's a suit of neurokinetic power armor. Originally it was made to facilitate time travel, but Stacy seems to have locked those functions to me. Doesn't want me getting off the ship, I suppose."

"You are able to travel in time with it?" Ghani repeated, and shook her head. If she hadn't been on Stacy she might not have believed him, but she was and she could tell her wasn't lying.

"It doesn't seem to want any of us to truly get off the ship at this moment in time," Ghani murmured as she moved a little closer to him so she could study the piece of armor he'd just put on.

"Have you gone forward or back in your time?"

"Usually I am. Though the theory of time travel is really closely interwoven with alternate dimensions and such. Simply put, it isn't so much traveling through time as removing yourself from the current space you occupy in your universe, and replacing yourself into an earlier moment. Which could technically be classified as a separate universe linked to your own." He knew the theory and he had a vague idea how the mechanism itself worked, but not much else really.

He held his hand palm upward, making the center glow brightly for a moment before it flashed once and a tiny, holographic copy of herself appeared in his palm, hovering over the generator. "I doubt I would too. I'm sure she has her reasons, but cutting off my time travel capabilities has cut my battle potential in half too."

"In my time...yes. I went back once. It wasn't all it was cracked up to be." He smiled wryly, remembering his time with the Young Avengers.

She listened to his explaination, and though it was hard to believe, it did make sense. Moreso since so many of the crew seemed to be from completely different universes and realities.

"You are a fighter then? A soldier?" she asked as she leaned over a bit so she could study the holographic image better. "When you went back, did you change anything or did you merely observe?"

A lot of things were hard to believe. Like how Billy had suppressed his memories with magic, or how different he'd been without them. It scared him when he stopped to think about it. Which was probably why he didn't stop to think about it very often.

"In times of need even poets will pick up arms." He smiled, making the hologram larger so she could see it better. The image tilted it's head and smiled up at her, eyes twinkling. "I tried to change things. I tried to make up for a tragedy, but in the end it didn't do much good. If I hadn't gone back, time as my friends knew it would have ceased to exist."

"Yes, that is true," Ghani agreed as she intently watched the hologram. It was indeed very interesting.

Smiling slightly, she straightened up and looked at him. "I suppose that is a good enough reason to go back in time. Though I do not know if I had such a suit if I would use it to go back into any part of my past. Things happen for a reason - lead up to specific events, even if it is a tragedy that catapults things."

The hologram stared up at her with the exact same intensity and gaze she was leveling at it, before smiling and waving at her.

He shrugged lightly. "It wasn't really my past, it was at least a millennium before I was born. And yeah. But my time isn't the most pleasant. Most of our heroes are gone and we revere the ones who were. I thought if I could stop that event from happening, maybe it would make my time better."

"Heroes?" Ghani repeated, her eyebrows arching a little in interest. "I suppose each society has their own version of heroes....My father was thought to be a God by our people. They fashioned a whole religion around him."

She shurgged and for a moment was tempted to poke at the little hologram, but didn't. Instead, she clasped her hands behind her back.

"I don't think my father would have liked to see how he message was being convayed by his followers. But it's the way it is sometimes, isn't it?"

"People given special powers. They'd fight and protect those who couldn't protect themselves." He nodded at her observation. "That's the way it seems. A God, really? How did that happen?"

He closed his fist and the hologram disappeared. When he opened it again, it was replaced by a rose, it's petal slowly opening in imaginary sunlight.

"Yeah. It is. But I think he's lucky. I mean, no one should have to live to see their work twisted by others."

"Because he was different. Different and powerful. he was able to see all the different paths that his choices could take him. He fulfilled a legend of the people. They needed hope to overcome their oppressors, and he gave it to them." She shrugged her shoulder because she knew her father was no God, was not the true Kwisatz Haderach.

"Though people tend to either worship those who are different than them, or fear them. Sometimes it's both." She flashed him a small smile. "I think in a way he knows, because... I sometimes feel he's.. Well that he was still watching over things." She momentarily thought about the Preacher and shook her head.

"Advanced precognition? Sounds like a handy ability to have. Though using it without going mad is probably the biggest issue." He furrowed his brows for a moment, interested. "But using your power to bring people hope, well, that isn't such a bad way to clock out I guess."

"True. It was the same on my Earth. A long time ago anyway. In my time, there aren't any heroes left." He ran a hand through his hair slowly. "Not that it really matters anymore anyway."

She nodded slowly. "It does cause some to go mad." Like her Aunt Alia... Who was showing signs of doing just that.

She looked around the room for a moment. "Well if what this... Stacy has told us is true, then there is a possibilty to right our universes destruction. So even if there is only a small glimmer of hope, I think that's enough to matter."

"I guess everyone goes mad in their own small ways though, if you really stop to think about it." He felt like he was losing his mind a hundred times a day as it was.

"Definitely. There's no way we can give up." He paused. "Not that my home was that great. But...I can't just sit back and let them all die, without trying my hardest to do something to stop it."

"Yes, I suppose that could be true." She smiled, and shook her head a little - thinking about what he'd just said. Maybe it did hold a small piece of truth.

"And until then, until we fight this Ohm, we get to know the other crew members...." She trailed off, and a questioning look crossed her expression. "Do you think once things are set right and we're returned to our own worlds that we'll remember being here?"

"Trust me, I should know, of all people. I feel like I'm going mad half the time." He chuckled, powering down the gauntlet and sliding it off his arm.

He paused at that, it was a good question, wasn't it? "Honestly, I don't know. They tampered with our memories before, taking out the ones of our abduction. What's to say they wouldn't do it again?"

"It seems wrong," Ghani murmured, her eyebrows drawing together in concern. "To meet so many people, forge friendships and then just forget them. It doesn't seem right."

She looked away toward the door. "I hope it.. This Stacy doesn't take those memories away... Well the good ones. There are some people I'd rather forget ever meeting." She was joking... Well a little.

"It does, doesn't it? I hope we're given a choice. Given that choice...I don't know if I'd go back to my world." He sighed, setting the glove down.

"I don't know. She seems to genuinely worry about our well being. So mabye we could convince her not to."

Her lips drew down a little as well. She didn't know if she wanted to go back to Arrakis. Didn't know if she wanted to see the path her brother had chosen laid out. Didn't know if she wanted to get married. OK, that she knew she didn't. She'd only agreed on it for one reason, and now? That reason had been taken from her.

But she also knew she didn't want to stay on the ship. It was too much for her. Which was one of the reasons she had taken up residence in one of the Vatican's palaces.

"I don't know what I'd chose if we were given the choice to go back to our own worlds. It's something I'd have to deeply contemplate if ever given the choice."

She suddenly rocked back on her heels and flashed him an easy smile. "Though it's obvious it's not something to worry about now. Now we just get to wander around the ship and watch interesting scenerios unfold among the crew."

He knew he didn't want to go back. He wouldn't have minded staying on Stacy. Traveling universes for the rest of his life? He could have chosen a worse fate. But then, he didn't know if he would have that choice to make in the end.

"Me either. Though I guess it's a little easier for me. If I go home without my memories, I become a genocidal dictator."

He grinned in return to that. "That's definitely more fun than moping about the future."

"Well if I go back to my world, I get to watch my brother begin a 3000 year tyranical reign of power." Ghani informed him with a slight smile. "I think that beats your genocidal dictatorship." She was teasing him a little, trying to lighten the mood.

"Oh most definately. Though to be honest, I'm surprised there isn't more bickering amongst the crew."

He chuckled. "I see your three thousand year tyrannical reign and raise you one time traveling planet encompassing sole dictatorship." He could play along. It was easy to joke about becoming Kang right now. But he'd seen what his future self was capable of. And he never wanted to reach that point.

"Maybe you just haven't been hanging in the right circles? From what I hear, there's more than enough bickering to go around."

"My brother become a giant living worm being," Ghani said arching a brow as though she were daring him to try to one up that one as well.

"Perhaps. But I've never been one to 'hang' with any sort of circles. I mostly grew up in the company of my Step-Mother and my twin brother. Here though... I just really haven't found many people that seem to catch and keep my interest."

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